March 20 /16
My dear Jack
We are all on the growl again over the weather for after a better promise at the end of last week we had a return of wet yesterday and today has been execrable. It is really getting serious as regards work on the land and we have seldom if ever been so late in starting to crop the garden, we have not yet been able to sow any seeds and we usually commence in February. I expect Ethel will have something to tell us about the air-raid on Deal; they were fortunate there in escaping the personal injury inflicted upon inhabitants of Dover and Ramsgate. We heard from her a day or two ago, she seemed quite busy and it is fortunate she was able to go and help them for poor Norah wants a lot of attention and Aunt Edith is not strong enough to bear much exertion. We hear that Aunt Sarah died last week. I am afraid she has been a sufferer for some long time and it is well she should have gone to her rest, her life must have been a rugged one but she was amicable and one of the uncomplaining sort. Mother has been out a little but the weather keeps her much to the house and she wants more fresh air to pick her strength up. Mela is going on Thursday to pay the postponed visit to her aunt, Mrs Money, at Folkestone. She is to meet her Aunt Jessie in London on her way there. We have not yet heard from Cyril but I hear letters from Mesopotamia take six weeks in coming and if that is so we must be content to wait a little longer for a letter. May and Mela have been over to see Eva Gaukroger. Did you see in the paper her husband has been wounded? He has wired from Amara that it is the right arm and not serious. Mother heard from Richmond today. Aunt Florence is better and Archie improving; he is with a curate elsewhere and doing a little work. Harry has gone back to Newcastle but is expecting to be moved further south. Aunt Fanny we hear is ill and in bed but they did not say what is the matter, Mother has written to enquire. Mary writes that Baby progresses and has cut another tooth. I am sorry to hear that the flat will again be to let next month as Colonel Ward is going abroad. We have not heard from Arthur just lately. I wish he could get a run over here again. I hear Judy is to spend the weekend at Sydenham, her holidays are not far distant now. I have been glad to use your bicycle a little while mine was under a slight repair, it has now come back. We duly elected you and Vincent Collier on our directorate and you have been each voted an honorarium of five guineas for the current year. Did you see Captain Edgar Grace had been mentioned for his services at Gallipoli? I believe The Grafton assisted at both evacuations and he appears to have had a narrow escape from injury by a shell.
With our united love to Kathleen and yourself.
I am your affectionate Father
Julius Sladden
